About

Alison Davis-Blake, PhD

Bentley’s core business curriculum, combined with an emphasis on the arts and sciences, differentiates it from business schools around the country and prepares students for successful and rewarding careers. A Bentley education is exactly what the country is asking of higher education today.

A Talented Scholar and Higher Ed Leader

Alison Davis-Blake, Bentley University’s eighth president, is an accomplished academician and a leader in higher education. She served as dean of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota (2006-2011) and of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (2011-2016). Dr. Davis-Blake holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and a master’s degree in Organizational Behavior, both from Brigham Young University, and a PhD in Business Administration from Stanford University.

Dr. Davis-Blake is a talented scholar with expertise in strategic human resource management and organizational design for effective management of human capital. She was the first female dean at both Carlson and Ross, and is Bentley’s second woman president. Earlier in her career, she served in multiple positions at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business, as well as at Carnegie Mellon University’s Graduate School of Industrial Administration (now the Tepper School of Business).

Dr. Davis-Blake’s husband, Michael, is a physicist. They have two sons: Kent, who graduated from Stanford University with a BS and MS and works at a technology firm in Silicon Valley, and Gordon, who is currently studying at Stanford.

President Davis-Blake Welcomes the Class of 2023
At the 2019 Convocation Ceremony, Bentley welcomed the newest members of our community and their families to campus. During the ceremony, President Davis-Blake encouraged incoming students to remain open to new opportunities as they embark on their college journey. Read her remarks.

President Davis-Blake's Message Following the Tragedies in Texas and Ohio
Over the weekend our nation was struck by two senseless acts of violence that left 31 people dead and many more injured. As updates have come in, I’ve struggled to find the words to express how deeply saddened I am by these tragic acts. Read more.

President Davis-Blake Addresses the 2019 Graduating Class
President Davis-Blake addresses the Class of 2019 as they move onto the next stages of their careers. Read her remarks.